Attention, Families and friends - Let’s get outside and take a huge step towards our freedom! A great first step: less dependence on the grocery store, with a self-sufficient, family-centered, ecologically-rooted landscape plan. Take action Now (THIS Winter) to start planning for a successful summer. Specialty Foodscaping companies like us here at Bear Creek Organics book up fast, and the growing season flies by.

What is FOODSCAPING? 

AKA Ecological Edible Landscaping, It’s growing your own backyard grocery store, as a functional eye appealing landscape, with organic methods and ecological principles. It is landscaping with a variety of food producing plants and natives that are beautiful, nourishing, and sustainable. It is replacing useless lawn with low maintenance and productive fruit trees, berry bushes, native plants, medicinal plants, vegetable gardens and more. 

Remember the VICTORY GARDEN? 

Many of us remember the backyard garden plots of our grandparents, The Victory Gardens, that helped them weather times of war and economic hardship. “Foodscaping” was a way of life - a culture of family and friends coming together to bring the grocery store to the backyard. They canned and stored their surplus, they gave away and bartered to the neighbors, they shared seeds and gardening wisdom. Love for healthy food, gardening, and good work ethic was passed from children to grandchildren. 

BEAUTY and FUNCTION! 

We don’t often think of fruit trees and vegetable gardens as ornamental, but they can be if designed properly. Fruit trees (Peach/Pear/Apple/and more) all have gorgeous blossoms every Spring. Many native bushes (serviceberry, Aronia berry, and elderberry) have stunning fall foliage, beautiful flowers, and loads of medicinal berries in summer and fall. Native Flowers explode with color, thrive in poor soil, and support bees and butterflies, while proving medicinal herbs to homeowners. It takes a good design plan to meet your needs, and knowledge of what works in your growing zone and microclimate, but it’s worth it! 

Want MORE IDEAS? 

Always choose disease resistant varieties that are suited for your growing zone, sunlight, and soil. And remember to focus heavily on native plants. We start with the tree layer and particularly love abundant backyard fruit trees! This can be a stylish permaculture orchard or a few tastefully placed specimens filling an empty space! How about a privacy hedgerow of blueberry, hazelnuts, or honeyberry? Or a patch of brambles (i.e. raspberries and blackberries) for the kids? Keep building with layers - Strawberries and other herbs make great ground cover under fruit trees or garden bed spaces; grapes and hardy kiwi climb the arbor. 

CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL : ) Are you ready to explore FOODSCAPING in your yard?! Richie Mitchell at Bear Creek Organics would love to help you get started. Visit bearcreekorganics.com and fill out the Contact section or call (570) 582-0615. For educational tips follow facebook.com/bearcreekorganics

Bear Creek Organics - 76 Helmer, White Haven, PA

We create organic and ecological edible landscapes. With mother nature as our teacher, and extensive knowledge of edible plants, we develop beautiful food production systems that support ... Read More »